Tie plate



Nov. 2 1926. 1,604,960

E. H. BELL TIE PLATE Filed Feb. 13. 1926 2 sheets-sheet 1 uml f il@ M 6 A410' 3/ Y 78 y fz z/evz to v1.' f l I Y l Waraji/B62? 1,604,960 E. H. BELL v TIE PLATE l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nov, 2 1926.

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Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

IT STAIY EDWIN H. BELL, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

'rin PLATE.

Application filed February This invention relates to improvements in tie plates and the object is to produce a. plate in which the weight is reduced by removal of metal from the bottom, at places where.

it may be spared without impairing the gripping Contact with the tie upon which it is placed; a plate which shall have itsv in the devices and combinations of devices` illustrated, described and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended. l In the accompanying drawings: i Figure 1 is a view in perspective, of a tie plate embodying my invention. o

Figure 2 is a plan view, enlarged, ofthe bottom ofthe plate, showing one form of the invention.

Figure. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional View of the same, the section being taken in the vertical plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse, sectional view of the same, the section being taken in the vertical. plane indicated at 4 4 on Figure 3. Figure 5 is a plan view ofthebottom of the plate showinga modifiedform. y Figure 6 is a transverse, sectional view fof' this modification, the section being taken in the vertical plane indicated by the dotted line .6 6 on Figure 5, A

Figure 7 is a bott-omplan view of another modification, and, Y o

. Figure 8 is a transverse, sectional view of this modification, thesection being in the vertical plane indicated by the dotted line i5-f8 0n Figure 7..

Y In said drawings: the plate, designated as a whole by the letter A, has al top rail bea-r-r ing surface-1, which may or may not be canted, crowned, plain or ccnfigurated.

this instance, I have shown thesurface 1 as 4plain and as canted, The top is provided with the usual rail abutting shoulder 2 formed by the faceof the transversely and Y upwardly extending rib 3. VThe top of the Cil 13, 1926. Serial No.88,012.

plate istapered somewhat toward each end, as indicated at i and 5.

'Ihe bottom ofthe plate is recessed, inwardly from each end and transversely from side to side, as shown atl 6 and 7. rllhe surface of the bottom of the plate immediately adjacent the recessed end portions, and by reason of the arrangement of the intermediate central area presently to be dei5 scribed, constitutes what I herein designate as relatively narrow, initial tie .bearing surfaces 8, which extend transversely acrossl the bottom of the plate.

These surfaces 8 will be located below the 70 shoulder 2 against which the outer rail base flange bears, and below that point on the plate top where the side of the other base fiange of the rail rests;.thus.the body 'of the plate contains the maximum of metal where thickness is most needed.

Upon these surfaces 8 and in the plane of these crucial points, I- prefer to place a shallow, downwardly pointed rib 9, preferably blunt orrounded rather than having a 30 sharpened edge, which rib extends lengthwise of .the surface 8; that is, transversely of the plate. The rib e9, as shown, is located centrally of the surface 8,y and in the first instance merely` indents the tie and serves to hold it in position, while the rail is being set and spiked'. The ribs 9 do not interfere with the function of the surfaces 8 as initial tie bearing surfaces.

Intermediate the transverse surfaces 8, 8, is what I herein designate as the central or median recessed area, and in which I locate a plurality of undulations, grooves or recesses lO. rIhe grooves l0, 10, extend longitudinally of the plate and, preferably, in

parallel relation, and are deeper at one end than the other. rl'he deep end is of .a flattened, arcuate contour-li, as clearly disclosed in Figs. 2 ande, and abuts the inside, marginal wallofthe part 8. kThe median surface line of each groovelO, therefore, will slant or inclinefrom a plane coincident with the'plane of the surface 8 into the central area of the plate, to the deepest part, thus forming aygroove ofgradually increasing depth, as clearlydemonstrated by Figure 3.

These grooves or undulations 10, l0, may be variously grouped and arranged to suit special conditions `or engineering requirements of the railroads upon which 'the plates 31 will be used. V

I khave shown several, but not ali of these various forms.

In Figures 2, 3 and 4, I have shown the grooves l() arranged with the deep part of one groove nearest the recessed end 6 and the deepest part of the alternate groove nearest the recessed end 7.

In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6, I have arranged four grooves adjacent each other, with their deep parts near one end of the plate, and the other group of four grooves with their deepest part near theother end of the plate.

In Figures 7 and 8, the grooves are arranged in groups of two and similarly, the groups extend alternately towards opposite ends of the plate.` lVhile I prefer tc have the parallel grooves extend, as shown, longitudinally ofY theplate, it will be manifest.'

that this is not mandatory and that an inclination which maintains a substantially longitudinal direction, will conform to the invention, and is to be included within the scope ofthe appended claims. It will be understood that several advantages result from constructing a tie plate in accordance with my invention. Making the grooves of gradually increasing depths enables me tov remove a desirable amount of metal without weakening the plate; and by making thegroove deeper at its deepest end than the depth of a groove of the same width, the bottom of which vis parallel with the bottom line of the plate, enables me to remove a greater amount of metal by using the Linclined bottom groove than by using a. flat bottom groove. By alternating one or more of the grooves with inclined bottoms, I do not weaken the plate at those points which are below the side margins of the rail flanges when the rail is on the plate; the length of the grooves being such that the plate is of proper thickness adjacent the deepest part of the groove, thereby counteracting any tendency to break or buckle by vreason of the` depth of the groove.

By the construction illustrated I also attain great holding power upon the tie and ,the tendency of thev plate to shift upon the tie is reduced to a negligible quantity by reason of the alternate arrangement ofthe grooves.

Iv claim as my invention:

l. A tie plate havinga rail bearing surface and a transversely disposed rail abutting shoulder on its top, and provided in the central area of its bottom with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves of varying depth from end to end. v

2. A tie plate having a rail bearing surface and a transversely disposed rail abutting shoulder on its top, and provided in the central area of its bottom with aplurality of Vlongitudinally extending grooves of varying depth from Vend to end, thegroov-es running in opposite directions.

3. A tie plate having on its top a rail bearing surface and a transversely disposed rail abutting shoulder, and provided in the central area of its bottom with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves of gradually increasing depth each terminating in a iiattened, arcuate surface.

l. A tie plate having on its top a rail bearing surface and a transversely disposed rail abutting shoulder, and provided in the central area of its bottom with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves of gradually increasing depth each terminating in a flattened, arcuate surface, the deep portion of some grooves being on one side and some on the other side of the transverse, median line of the plate. y

5. A tie plate having Von its top a rail bearing surface and a transversely extending rail abutting shoulder, the bodyy of the plate being thickest at those parts below the side margins of the rail base, and provided ,on its bottom in the central area ,intermediate said thickened parts, with a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses of gradual# ly increasing depth. y

6. A tie plate having on its top a rail bearing surface and a transversely extending rail abutting shoulder, the body of the plate being thickest at those parts vbelow the side margins of the railbase, and .provided on its bottom in the central area intermediate said thickened parts, with a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses of graduallyincreasing depth, thel deep part of each recess having a flattened arcuate surface.

7. A tie plate having on its top .a rail bearing surface and a transversely extending rail abutting shoulder, the body of the plate being thickest at those parts below the side margins of the rail base, and provided on its bottom in the central area intermediate said thickened parts, with a plurality of longitudinallyl extending recesses of gradually increasing depth, and extending in opposite directions.

Y 8. A tie platehaving on its top a rail bearing surface and a transversely-extending rail abutting shoulder, and provided-on its bottom with recessed end portions and a` central, recessed area, whereby the thickest parts of the plate body lie transversely beneath the side margins of the rail flanges, and provided in said central area with a plu; rality of longitudinally extending recesses or grooves of gradually increasing depth.

9. A tie plate having on its top arail bearing surface and a transversely extending rail abutting shoulder, and providedy onits bottom `with recessed end portions and a central, recessed area. whereby the thickest parts -of the plate body lie transversely beneath the side margins'of the rail flanges, and provided in said central area with. a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses or grooves of gradually increasing depth, the' deep part of each recess having a flattened, arcuate surface.

10. A tie plate having on its top a rail bearing surface and a transversely extending rail abutting shoulder, and provided on its bottom with recessed end portions and a central, recessed area, whereby the thickest parts of the plate body lie transversely be neath the side margins oi' the rail flanges, and provided in said central area With a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses or grooves of gradually increasing depth, and extending in opposite directions.

11. A tie plate having on its bottom, re-

cessed end `portions and a central, recessed area, and tWo relatively narrow, initially tie bearing surfaces extending transversely of the plate and separating the end recesses from the central area, and a plurality of grooves in the central area and extending longitudinally, in opposite directions, each groove being of gradually increasing depth as it extends from one transverse tie bearing surface toward the other transverse surface. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I ailix my signature, this 10th day of February, 1926.

EDWIN I-I. BELL. 

